Saber saw assembly with improved vising mechanism

ABSTRACT

A saber saw assembly includes a vice for clamping an object to be cut and a saber saw having a saw blade to be operated in reciprocating motion. The saber saw is arranged to cut the object with the reciprocating saw blade while the object is clamped by the vice. The vice is in the form of a pipe wrench. The pipe wrench clamps the object when rotated in a clamping direction while releases the object when rotated in a releasing direction opposite to the clamping direction. Accordingly, by using the pipe wrench for the vice, the clamping and releasing operations for the object are simplified to enhance the working efficiency for cutting the object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a saber saw assembly composed of asaber saw and a vice, wherein an object to be cut, such as, a pipe iscut by a reciprocating saw blade while being vised or clamped by thevice.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In a conventional saber saw assembly, a chain is used to vise or clampan object to be cut, e.g. a pipe or the like as disclosed in, such as,Japanese Second (examined) Utility Model Publications Nos. 2-6983 and4-37691. While the object is clamped by the chain, a saw blade is drivenin reciprocating motion so as to cut the object.

FIG. 5 shows one type of the conventional saber saw assembly which usesa chain 1 for clamping a pipe 2. The chain 1 has one end fixedly coupledto a vice body 4 and the other end held by a movable hooking portionprovided in the vice body 4. By rotating a screw rod handle 3, thehooking portion is displaced to tighten or loosen the chain 1 around thepipe 2. Accordingly, by rotating the screw rod handle 3 in a givendirection, the pipe 2 is firmly clamped between the chain 1 and aV-shaped receiving surface 9 formed on the vice body 4. A mounting rod 5is fixedly provided on the vice body 4 so as to extend in parallel to anaxis of the pipe 2 when the pipe 2 is clamped as described above. On theother hand, a saber saw body 6 has a gear case 7 formed with acorresponding mounting hole 8. The mounting hole 8 receives therein adistal end portion of the mounting rod 5 so that the saber saw body 6 ispivotal about the mounting rod 5 to cut the pipe 2 with a saw blade 10operated in reciprocating motion.

In the foregoing conventional saber saw assembly, however, since thechain 1 is used to clamp the pipe 2 while cutting it, winding andunwinding of the chain 1 around and from the pipe 2 are required beforeand after cutting the pipe 2, respectively. This inevitably deterioratesthe working efficiency for the pipe cutting, which should be improved.

Further, in the foregoing conventional saber saw assembly, the screw rodhandle 3 should be operated for clamping the pipe 2 before cutting andfor releasing the pipe 2 after cutting even when successively cuttingthe pipes each having the identical diameter. This also deteriorates theworking efficiency for the pipe cutting and should be improved.

In another type of the conventional saber saw assembly as shown in, suchas, the foregoing Japanese Second (examined) Utility Model PublicationNo. 4-37691, the chain 1 in FIG. 5 is replaced by a fixing screw rod.The fixing screw rod is arranged perpendicular to the axis of the pipe 2so as to interpose the pipe 2 between a tip of the fixing screw rod andthe V-shaped receiving surface 9. Accordingly, by rotating the fixingscrew rod in a given direction, the fixing screw rod advances toward theV-shaped receiving surface 9 so as to firmly clamp the pipe 2therebetween.

In the latter type of the conventional saber saw assembly, although thechain is not used for clamping the pipe 2 as opposed to the formerconventional type, the fixing screw rod should be operated for clampingthe pipe 2 before cutting and for releasing the pipe 2 after cuttingeven when successively cutting the pipes of the identical diameter. Asdescribed above, this should be improved for enhancing the workingefficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sabersaw assembly having an improved vising mechanism.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a saber saw assemblycomprises a vice in the form of a pipe wrench for clamping an object tobe cut; and a saber saw having a saw blade to be operated inreciprocating motion, the saber saw cutting the object with thereciprocating saw blade while the object is clamped by the pipe wrenchvice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood more fully from the detaileddescription given hereinbelow and from the accompanying drawings of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, which are given by way ofexample only, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a saber saw assembly accordingto a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein thesaber saw assembly is in operation to cut an object to be cut;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a structure provided on a gear caseof a saber saw for mounting a mounting rod attached to a pipe wrenchvice;

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an upper side of a part of thesaber saw assembly in FIG. 1 for explaining a state where the mountingrod attached to the pipe wrench vice is mounted in the structure shownin FIG. 2:

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing saw-toothed surfaces formed on atleast one of a bent portion of an L-shaped rod of the pipe wrench viceand a fixed base of the pipe wrench vice, according to a secondpreferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional saber saw assembly,wherein the saber saw assembly is in operation to cut an object to becut.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedhereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, a saber saw assembly according to a first preferredembodiment includes a saber saw 110 and a vice 120.

The saber saw 110 has a saber saw body 111 which incorporates therein anelectric motor (not shown). The saber saw body 111 is provided at itstip portion with a gear case 112 which includes therein arotational/reciprocating motion conversion means, such as, a crankmechanism (not shown). A saw blade 113 extends forward from the gearcase 112 and is operated in reciprocating motion by means of theelectric motor via the motion conversion means in the gear case 112.

Since the foregoing structure of the saber saw 110 is well known in theart, no further detailed description will be made therefor.

On an upper surface, in FIG. 1, of the gear case 112 is formed alater-described mounting groove 114.

The vice 120 is in the form a pipe wrench. Specifically, the pipe wrenchvice 120 is composed of a fixed base 121, an L-shaped rod 122 having athreaded portion 123 which passes through a pair of spaced mountingprojections of the fixed base 121, and an operation nut 124 arrangedbetween the pair of the spaced mounting projections of the fixed base121 and engaging the threaded portion 123 of the L-shaped rod 122therebetween. By rotating the operation nut 124, the L-shaped rod 122displaces axially of the threaded portion 123.

The L-shaped rod 122 has a bent portion 125 being bent relative to theaxis of the threaded portion 123. The bent portion 125 is formed with asaw-toothed surface 126 which is arranged perpendicular relative to theaxis of the threaded portion 123. The fixed base 121 also has asaw-toothed surface 127 which is also arranged perpendicular relative tothe axis of the threaded portion 123. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1,the saw-toothed surfaces 126 and 127 are arranged to confront each otherfor vising or clamping a pipe 100 therebetween.

As described above, the vice 120 is in the form of the pipe wrench.Accordingly, as is well known in the art, the pipe wrench vice 120operates in the following manner:

It is assumed that the pipe 100 is interposed between the saw-toothedsurfaces 126 and 127 with a distance between the surfaces 126 and 127being adjusted by the operation nut 124 to match an outer diameter ofthe pipe 100. In this state, when the fixed base 121 is slightly rotatedclockwise in FIG. 1, the saw-toothed surfaces 126 and 127, that is, thesawteeth formed on the surfaces 126 and 127, firmly engage with or biteinto the pipe 100 so as to clamp the pipe 100 therebetween. To thecontrary, when the fixed base 121 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1,the sawteeth on the surfaces 126 and 127 slide on the pipe 100 so thatthe pipe wrench vice 120 is easily disengaged from the pipe 100.

Since the pipe wrench itself is well known in the art, no furtherdetailed structure thereof will be made hereinbelow.

A mounting rod 128 fixedly extends from a side surface of the fixed base121 of the pipe wrench vice 120 as best shown in FIG. 3. The mountingrod 128 extends in perpendicular to the threaded portion 123 of theL-shaped rod 122 or in an axial direction of the pipe 100 when the pipe100 is clamped between the saw-toothed surfaces 126 and 127. Themounting rod 128 is received in the foregoing mounting groove 114 formedon the gear case 112 so that the saber saw 110 is pivotally coupled tothe pipe wrench vice 120. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, themounting groove 114 is provided with a pivotal locking pawl 115 which isurged by a compression spring 116 in a direction opposite to an arrow inFIG. 2 for holding the mounting rod 128 in the mounting groove 114 underpressure caused by the compression spring 116. This structureeffectively prevents the mounting rod 128, that is, the pipe wrench vice120 from coming off the mounting groove 114, that is, the saber saw 110.As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting rod 128 has a flange 129 at its distalend for providing a fixed positional relationship between the saber saw110 and the pipe wrench vice 120 in the axial direction of the mountingrod 128 or the pipe 100.

The saber saw assembly as structured above operates in the followingmanner:

As described above, the saw-toothed surfaces 126 and 127 bite into thepipe 100 to clamp it therebetween by slightly rotating the fixed base121 clockwise in FIG. 1. While the pipe 100 is clamped, the mounting rod128 fixed to the pipe wrench vice 120 is received in the mounting groove114 in the manner as described above so that the saber saw 110 ispivotally coupled to the pipe wrench vice 120. In this state, the sawblade 113 is operated in reciprocating motion to cut the pipe 100.Specifically, while the saw blade 113 is in operation, the saber saw 110is manually turned clockwise as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1 to make apivotal movement about the mounting rod 128. Accordingly, in FIG. 1, thesaber saw body 111 makes a clockwise downward movement while thereciprocating saw blade 113 makes a clockwise upward movement to cut thepipe 100. As appreciated, the clockwise downward movement of the sabersaw body 111 applies a force to the fixed base 121 of the pipe wrenchvice 120 via the mounting rod 128 so as to turn the pipe wrench vice 120clockwise in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the pipe wrench vice 120 is allowed toclamp the pipe 100 more firmly so that the cutting of the pipe 100 canbe performed smoothly and precisely.

After cutting the pipe 100, the saw saber 110 is disengaged from thepipe wrench vice 120 by rotating the locking pawl 115 counterclockwiseagainst the biasing force of the compression spring 116 as indicated byan arrow in FIG. 2 so as to release the mounting rod 128 from within themounting groove 114.

Thereafter, the pipe wrench vice 120 is disengaged from the pipe 100 byrotating the fixed base 121 counterclockwise in FIG. 1.

As appreciated from the foregoing description, the first preferredembodiment makes it much simpler and easier to clamp and release thepipe 100 so that the working efficiency of the pipe cutting issignificantly improved. Particularly, the working efficiency forsuccessively cutting the pipes of the identical diameter is highlyimproved.

Now, a saber saw assembly according to a second preferred embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereinbelow.

In the second preferred embodiment, at least one of the bent portion 125of the L-shaped rod 122 and the fixed base 121 has a pair of saw-toothedsurfaces 126a, 126a or 127a, 127a as shown in FIG. 4, in place of theforegoing saw-toothed surface 126 or 127 in the first preferredembodiment. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the saw-toothed surfaces126a, 126a or 127a, 127a are arranged in parallel with each other with arecessed portion 126b or 127b interposed therebetween. Like thesaw-toothed surface 126 or 127, each saw-toothed surface 126a or 127a isarranged in perpendicular relative to the axis of the threaded portion123 for engagement with the pipe 100 while clamping it.

Accordingly, in the second preferred embodiment, at least one side ofthe pipe 100 is vised or clamped by the two saw-toothed surfaces 126a,126a or 127a, 127a.

The other structure of the saber saw assembly of the second preferredembodiment is the same as that of the first preferred embodiment.

The structure of the second preferred embodiment is advantageous for thefollowing reason:

When a force is applied to the pipe wrench vice 120 along the axis ofthe pipe 100 during the pipe wrench vice 120 clamping the pipe 100, aclamping force of the pipe wrench vice 120 is reduced. This force tendsto be exerted on the pipe wrench vice 120 due to a bending moment whichis applied to the pipe wrench vice 120 via the mounting rod 128 when thesaber saw 110 is coupled to the pipe wrench vice 120 or when the sabersaw body 111 makes the foregoing clockwise downward movement during thecutting of the pipe 100. Accordingly, by clamping at least one side ofthe pipe 100 with the two saw-toothed surfaces 126a, 126a or 127a, 127a,the reliable clamping of the pipe 100 is ensured even when the foregoingforce induced by the bending moment is applied to the pipe wrench vice120 along the axis of the pipe 100.

It is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to thepreferred embodiments and modifications described above, and thatvarious changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A saber saw assembly comprising:a vice forclamping an object to be cut; and a saber saw having a saw blade to beoperated in reciprocating motion, said saber saw cutting said objectwith the reciprocating saw blade while said object is clamped by saidvice; wherein said vice is in the form of a pipe wrench; wherein saidvice clamps said object when rotated in a clamping direction andreleases said object when rotated in a releasing direction; and whereinsaid saber saw is coupled to said vice so as to apply a force to saidvice in said clamping direction when said saber saw is displacedrelative to said vice for cutting said object.
 2. The saber saw assemblyas set forth in claim 1, wherein said saber saw is pivotally displacedrelative to said vice for cutting said object.
 3. The saber saw assemblyas set forth in claim 1, wherein said saber saw is displaced clockwiserelative to said vice for cutting said object.
 4. The saber saw assemblyas set forth in claim 1, wherein said vice includes a fixed base and amember held by said fixed base so as to be adjustable in positionrelative to said fixed base, and wherein said fixed base has a firstsurface and said member has a second surface confronting said firstsurface, each of said first and second surfaces having a saw-toothedsurface for clamping said object therebetween.
 5. The saber saw assemblyas set forth in claim 4, wherein said saw-toothed surface of at leastone of said first and second surfaces comprises a pair of saw-toothedsurfaces with a recessed portion interposed therebetween.
 6. The sabersaw assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein a mounting rod is fixed tosaid fixed base of the vice so as to extend in an axial direction ofsaid object when said object is clamped between said saw-toothedsurfaces and a corresponding mounting groove is provided on said sabersaw at a portion other than said saw blade, and wherein said vice andsaid saber saw are coupled by inserting said mounting rod into saidmounting groove.
 7. A saber saw assembly comprising:a vice for clampingan object to be cut; and a saber saw having a saw blade to be operatedin reciprocating motion, said saber saw cutting said object with thereciprocating saw blade while said object is clamped by said vice;wherein said vice is in the form of a pipe wrench; wherein said viceincludes a fixed base and a member held by said fixed base so as to beadjustable in position relative to said fixed base; wherein said fixedbase has a first surface and said member has a second surfaceconfronting said first surface, each of said first and second surfaceshaving a saw-toothed surface for clamping said object therebetween;wherein a mounting rod is fixed to said fixed base of the vice so as toextend in an axial direction of said object when said object is clampedbetween said saw-toothed surfaces and a corresponding mounting groove isprovided on said saber saw at a portion other than said saw blade;wherein said vice and said saver saw are coupled by inserting saidmounting rod into said mounting groove; and wherein locking means ispivotally provided at said mounting groove for biasing said mounting rodreceived in said mounting groove so as to prevent said mounting rod fromdisengaging from said mounting groove.
 8. The saber saw assembly as setforth in claim 7, wherein said locking means comprises a locking pawlpivotally provided at said mounting groove and a compression spring forbiasing said locking pawl in a direction so as to prevent said mountingrod from coming off said mounting groove.